Dan Hillier
New single, new vocalist, new groovy video. Following on from the departure of Janey Starling back in May, London feminist punk icons Dream Nails have returned with ‘Take Up Space’, the groups first single with Leah Kirby fronting the fold. An empowering endeavour that sees the band dipping their toes into the sun-blessed waters of classic 80’s surf punk, ‘Take Up Space’ is a track that perfectly summarises the groups rage-joy vitality whilst imploring women and LGBT+ to retake their space within cis-male dominated environments. Dream Nails will be finally taking taking their 2020 self-titled debut on tour next month and there’s absolutely no question that this will be a set highlight for years to come. – Dan Hillier
An intricately textured weave of abrasion, radiance and delicate mysticism, the latest single from the Belgian shoegazers Slow Crush certainly lives up to it’s namesake with it’s ability to force one into a docile state. The first single from the globally renowned group’s second album – which releases October 22nd via Church Road – the titular track ‘Hush’ is a gorgeous and spellbinding enchantment of a track that hints towards the blanketing tonal dalliance of the new record. Recorded at the utmost peak of the pandemic, Slow Crush’s next body of material is composed of some of their most darkest and perturbed work to date, yet stands as a vessel of elation and hope. It’s set to emit the optimism that fuelled the creation of their new record, and if ‘Hush’ is anything to go by, it’s on path to be another impeccable release from a band with a perfect track record. – Dan Hillier
Blackglaze may be all the rage these days – for perfectly understandable reasons – but the Russian trio TRNA have already distanced themselves from the pack. Muck akin to their last single ‘Shining’, the vast expansiveness of ‘Istok’ is blackgaze at it’s most celestial and otherworldly, with the track visiting a plethora of regions across it’s eight minute run time. Elements of Wolves In The Throne Room, Wowod, Amenra, MØL and Slowdive take form in the musical mist, but as a whole, this is a mystical black of the band’s own vision. TRNA will be releasing their new record on September 3rd via the fabled Candlelight Records and make no mistake for it’s set to be one of the greatest contemporary blackgaze achievements of 2021. – Dan Hillier
South Wales’ newest addition Mourn have come out of the gates swinging with their skull-crushingly heavy debut ‘Hell To Pay’. The track falls somewhere between deathcore and metalcore and even elements of doom thrown in too with blastbeat drum patterns and ominous soundscapes at moments of the song. ‘Hell To Pay’ is a statement of intent with the opening two and a half minutes providing unrelenting face-melting heaviness. The surprising melodious contrast following this provides a reprieve at the half way point of the song before kicking back in and adding additional layers to completely change the feel of the track. It’s clever, bold and paves the way for what to expect from these newcomers. The single features on the upcoming EP The Next Life, which will released September 3rd. – Jac Holloway
Bridges have dropped their latest release ‘Star Signs’. With 2020 providing the needed time and space, the band have used this to learn how to record and produce their music from home. After producing a number of songs with help from Ash Scott (Memorist) and Ivan and Frazer Proctor (China Bears), they mixed the whole project with engineer Joe Marsh. The band have an album ready, though have selected a number of these songs to release through 2021. ‘Star Signs’ is the fourth release already this year and the bands most stunningly effervescent to date. The song meanders through minimalist catchy hooks both vocally and instrumentally and the result is a dream pop anthem. With a constant stream of releases and the live scene getting slowly back on its feet, Bridges are a band to keep an eye on for the coming months. – Jac Holloway
The second single taken from their hotly-anticipated sophomore album This Place Will Become Your Tomb, ‘The Love You Want’ carries on Sleep Token’s firmly established tradition of marching to the beat of their own drum. Opening with Vessel’s lush vocals backed by minimalist synths, it moves into an acapella chorus of layered vocals. It progresses gradually, drums and piano entering in the second verse and thunderous drums back the chorus. The swelling emotions and lush instrumentation all build to a gorgeous crescendo with crunching, heavy guitars that don’t sacrifice any of the emotion but instead accentuate it. It’s yet another stirling illustration that there’s nobody else even close to them in sound. – Will Marshall
Melding bouncing riffs, caustic screams and some serious rap flows, nu-metal newcomers Sicksense announced themselves to the world with their debut single ‘Make Believe’. Lyrically, the song demands we stop trying to fulfil the expectations of others and to start living on our own terms, despite any attempts to divide us. Nowhere is this clearer than in the chorus line “did anyone tell you rules are make believe?”. While there’s only a single to their name so far, it’s full of energetic riffs to make you get up and dance, marking them as not only incredibly fun but also a band with a serious message to spread. – Will Marshall
At this point in their career, Wolves In The Throne Room need no real introduction. For twenty years they’ve honed their sound, rooted in atmospheric black metal but with occasional forays into other territories. Their latest single ‘Primal Chasm (Gift Of Fire)’ takes us on a journey through Cascadia, an area that’s been hugely influential for both their aesthetic and their sound. The band describe the song as a “dreamtime retelling of creation” and as a union of opposites, both ice and fire. The sound of trumpets echo in the background behind swirling riffs, accompanied by blackened rasps but also death metal roars. It’s a cosmic explosion of blackened majesty and wizardry, showcasing exactly why they’re so revered throughout the scene and why, even twenty years on, they still stand head and shoulders above their peers. – Will Marshall
The New Zealand thrashers have been absent for a little while, beavering away on new music to carry them forward from their stellar debut album Tū. The first single to be released from their upcoming album is ‘Buried Underground’, a mid-paced track that grooves and thrashes through its runtime. Gang shouts, furious roars and melodic choruses make up the varied vocal platter while the riffs dial back the technicality somewhat but don’t sacrifice any of the hookiness. The video itself sees them roping in fans from across the world performing a ‘stomp’, before being pieced all together. Bringing together thrash, lyrics and instruments rooted in Maori culture and historical concepts, their sophomore album Tangaroa is set to be something very special indeed.